On the agenda: Marina Bay housing appeals, the draft budget, a CO2 pipeline vote, and more

Tuesday's Richmond City Council meeting is one of the heavier agendas of the year: a first look at a $275 million draft budget, a public hearing over a Marina Bay waterfront housing project with appeals from both the developer and a trails group, a vote on opposing a regional CO2 pipeline project, and a full slate of police and legal contracts on the consent calendar.

The draft budget

The council will receive a proposed $275.3 million operating budget for fiscal year 2026-27, along with a five-year, $143.3 million Capital Improvement Plan. The budget projects $323.8 million in revenue. However, it comes with a warning: Personnel costs have climbed 38 percent since 2021, to a projected $201 million, driven by pension obligations, retiree health costs, and an expanded workforce. The city also faces $1.15 billion in unfunded infrastructure needs over the next decade.

Marina Point housing appeals

The council will hold a public hearing on two appeals of the Planning Commission's March 5 approval of the Marina Point Residential Project, a proposal to build 70 three-story homes on a 4.92-acre vacant parcel at the foot of Marina Way South, near the Rosie the Riveter visitor center.

The appeals come from opposite directions: the developer is challenging several conditions as too costly and legally unsupported, while the Trails for Richmond Action Committee argues the approval leaves a 50- to 60-foot strip of shoreline between the homes and the Bay Trail effectively unimproved and unenforced. Staff recommends affirming the approval with modifications, including requiring the developer to dedicate the shoreline strip to the city for incorporation into Lucretia Edwards Shoreline Park. The council's role is limited to the specific issues raised in the two appeals, not a full re-review of the project.

CO2 pipeline opposition

Councilmember Claudia Jimenez is asking the council to formally oppose the Montezuma Carbon Sequestration Hub, a project that would capture CO2 from Bay Area industrial facilities, including the Chevron refinery, and pipe it under the San Francisco Bay and Delta to an underground storage site in Solano County.

Council eyes another $390K for e-bikeshare program

For the third time, the council will be asked to add money to its contract with bikeshare operator Ride Today to keep the city's electric bikeshare program running. The ask is $390,000, bringing the total contract to $3.54 million. Since launching in September 2023, the program has logged 4,175 trips at a cost of roughly $665 each. Staff acknowledges the program cannot survive without city support and that its primary funding source is in its final year. The council will decide the program's long-term fate during the budget process this spring.

Sidewalk vendor ordinance

The council will take a first look at an ordinance updating Richmond's sidewalk vendor regulations, touching administrative procedures, waiver provisions, and enforcement mechanisms.

Items on the consent calendar are considered routine and typically pass in a single vote without discussion.

Caste discrimination protections

The council takes a final vote on an ordinance adding caste as a protected category under the city's Human Rights and Human Relations Commission. Richmond would join a small number of U.S. cities with explicit caste discrimination protections in their municipal laws.

Sister cities funding

The council will vote on appropriating $69,000 — $23,000 per city to support delegation activities with Richmond's three sister cities: Zhoushan, China; Regla, Cuba; and Sebastia, Palestine. The most immediate use is a youth exchange trip to Zhoushan scheduled for late June, with 50 participants already registered. Plans for the Regla and Sebastia delegations have not yet been finalized.

City Attorney's Office

The City Attorney's Office is asking the council to approve three outside legal services agreements: a new $100,000 deal with Colantuono, Highsmith & Whatley for general litigation; a new $500,000 agreement with Bennett, Gelini and Gelini for liability claims; and a $150,000 amendment to the city's contract with Burke, Williams & Sorensen for municipal and personnel litigation.

The Fire Department

The Fire Department is seeking a $1.5 million to purchase Motorola Solutions for portable and mobile radios.

The Mayor's Office

The Mayor's Office is requesting a proclamation recognizing May 2026 as Mental Health Awareness Month, and the appointment of Courtney Sanders to a vacant seat on the ECIA Transportation Board.

The Police Department

The Police Department is asking for a $540,000 contract with Enterprise for unmarked vehicles; background investigation contracts with T Jung Investigations and Steve Blanc Investigations; a $525,000 mental health counseling contract with Public Safety Family Counseling Group; a $300,000 renewal of the community-based prosecution agreement with the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office, which keeps a dedicated deputy DA assigned to Richmond cases; and a $7.2 million extension of animal control services with Contra Costa County Animal Services. The council will also receive crime reports for February and March 2026.

The Finance Department

The Finance Department will present monthly financial reports for March, covering investments, overtime, transfer taxes, and pension obligations.

Public works

Public Works is seeking a $29,690 engineering contract with Schaaf & Wheeler for the Ferry Point Pump Station project, utilizing $45,000 from the Wastewater Enterprise Fund.

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